Opening Conference of the INTERCLIM project

Opening Conference of the INTERCLIM project with the aim to present the project idea and the importance of greening the cites, implementation of nature-based solutions, sustainable urban planning and improving climate and air quality conditions in cities of the region was held in Novi sad, on April 1st, 2025.

The event was attended by 38 participants from various institutions: Faculty of Sciences Novi Sad, Faculty of Philosophy Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences Novi Sad, Faculty of Biology Belgrade, City of Osijek, City of Novi Sad, PUC ‘Gradsko Zelenilo’ Novi Sad and University of Copenhagen, as well as different local and regional media representatives.

The main objective of this cross-border initiative, according to project manager Dr. Stevan Savić, is to adapt to the pollution and climate change that are most prevalent in the eastern part of Croatia and the northern part of Serbia.
“We will concentrate on the pollution that is typical of cities, where the populace is at risk due to rising temperatures and flooding. To improve urban circumstances, we will experiment with nature-based innovations, such as new green infrastructures and the monitoring systems that accompany them. We have developed the so-called green room, a new kind of green infrastructure that can be positioned in city public spaces and help reduce climate change”, Savić said.

In addition to the “green rooms” in Novi Sad and Osijek, climate monitoring devices will be set up to assess the local conditions and determine their actual impact, both in terms of climate and on the mental well-being of the residents.

Representing the project partner, the City of Osijek, Mr. Srećko Kukić spoke to the audience, stating that studies carried out in Osijek revealed that winter air quality is at its worst, primarily due to heating, which leads to many citizens experiencing respiratory issues as a consequence: “Green rooms” have shown to be one way to reduce these effects. Currently, in Osijek, we have five air quality monitoring stations, and we plan to set up nine through projects. As a municipality, we allocate significant resources to green infrastructure; however, we should remember that sustainable development also encompasses the social aspect, which involves looking after our most vulnerable communities.”

The INTERCLIM project is co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg-IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Croatia-Serbia. The project is co-financed in the amount of 1,534,920.80 EUR, and the total value of the project is 1,805.768.00 EUR. The project implementation is in the period September 2024-March 2027, and the project consortium consists of the University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences (project leader), PUC City Greenery Novi Sad, Josip JurajStrossmayerUniversity of Osijek Faculty of Civil Engeenering and Architecture Osijek, and City of Osijek.